Troubled Times
by Romione4Life
Summary: When Tonks learns that she's pregnant, she doesn't get quite the reaction she was hoping for from Remus. Can they make it through these troubled times?


**Author's Note: This was written for round 4 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. My task was to write a story that began and ended with the same preposition.**

**Disclaimer: I must not tell lies! I'm not J.K. Rowling, and I do not own any part of Harry Potter.**

* * *

With every passing hour, Tonks grew more and more nervous. She was beyond thrilled for the news she had to tell Remus - the problem was that she had absolutely no idea how he was going to take it.

At last, she decided she just had to gather up her courage and get it done. She found her husband brooding in his study, as he often did these days (with good reason, of course).

"Remus?" she said tentatively, biting her lip.

Remus looked up and gave Tonks a tired smile. "How are you, Dora?"

"Fine," Tonks replied. "Great, actually. I - I have something to tell you."

She seated herself across from Remus and grasped both of his hands in hers. Taking a deep breath, she let the words fall from her lips.

"I'm pregnant."

Tonks followed up her announcement with a hopeful smile, silently begging for the same reaction from Remus, but instead he withdrew his hands in horror. "No," he said hoarsely. "That can't be true!"

Tonks' face fell, and she sighed. "I was afraid you'd take it this way."

Seeming not to hear her, Remus got to his feet and started pacing, an anguished look on his face. "This can't be happening," he muttered.

Tonks stood up as well and gently laid a hand on Remus' arm. "Remus, I know this isn't necessarily what you wanted, but can't you try to see the good in the situation?"

"What good is there to see?" Remus snapped harshly, pushing Tonks' hand off. "This has gone too far. Marrying you was a mistake to begin with, but now this... It's too much."

Tonks was stung. "What are you so afraid of?" she cried. "Our child being a werewolf? I've told you a million times, I don't care!"

"But _I do!_" Remus said. "You don't understand what it's like, Dora. The world turns against you. If I hadn't found James or Sirius or even Peter, I don't know what I would've done. I wouldn't wish that kind of life on anyone, much less my own son or daughter, especially with the world we're living in today."

"You don't know for sure that he or she will turn out that way," Tonks argued. "Give it a chance!"

Remus only shook his head. "You don't understand," he said again. "You don't… I have to get out of here."

"Where are you going?" Tonks said desperately, but Remus ignored her and strode out of the study, leaving her in tears behind him.

* * *

Remus came back home that day and every day until one day after Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding. That day, Tonks came home to find a note left on the kitchen table.

_ Dora,_

_ I'm so sorry, but I can't do this anymore. I can't bear the thought of what I have done to you and our child. Therefore, I have gone where I can be more useful in these troubled times. Please don't try to find me. Go to your parents' house or somewhere else where you'll be safe. I hope you can forgive me._

_ I love you._

_ Remus_

Tonks' eyes focused on the last three words. _I love you_. "Yeah, right," she said bitterly. Maybe she'd been wrong about Remus the whole time.

* * *

Tonks stayed for the next several weeks at her parents' house, as Remus had requested. She wasn't really sure why she did it instead of disregarding him and going after him anyway. Perhaps there was still some small part of her that hoped that he'd soon come back of his own volition.

Yet the days dragged on with no sign of Remus returning. Tonks was about ready to give up hope and accept that he was either dead or away forever. Then she could just continue helping the Order in whatever ways she was able while in her pregnant state. That was when she heard the loud, unmistakable crack of Apparition outside the window.

Hardly daring to believe it was true, Tonks rushed to the front door and flung it open. "Remus!" she yelled upon seeing his disheveled form standing in the yard.

"Dora!" Remus called back.

Tonks ran to Remus as quickly as she could and flung her arms around him. He caught her and hugged her tightly.

"I ought to curse you, or slap you, or something!" Tonks said fiercely.

"I know. I deserve it. I'm sorry, Dora," Remus murmured.

"Here, come inside," Tonks urged him, disengaging herself from Remus' embrace. She quickly got him settled at the kitchen table with a steaming cup of tea and then sat beside him.

"What made you decide to come back?" she demanded.

"It was Harry, actually," Remus answered, taking a sip of his beverage. "To make a long story short, I went to see him and Ron and Hermione and explained the situation, hoping he'd be on my side – but thank goodness he wasn't! He called me out on my cowardliness, and I tried to ignore it for a while, but I couldn't. It was exactly what I needed to realize how wrong I'd been."

He reached over and squeezed Tonks' hand. "Can you forgive me, Dora?"

She could've said no. She could've walked away right then and there. She could've at least made him wait. He had, after all, abandoned her in her time of need. But her child needed a father, and given the circumstances of the dark world they were living in, forgiveness seemed like the best option.

Smiling broadly, Tonks leaned toward her husband and gave him a light kiss. "Welcome home, Remus."

* * *

"Come and say hello to your new son, Remus," Tonks said softly. Her face was flushed and Remus knew she could probably sleep for a week right then, but with the huge grin that illuminated her face, he never would've guessed.

He approached Tonks and focused on the tiny bundle she cradled in her arms. The baby had dark hair and stared up at him with big brown eyes. Remus caught his breath.

"He's beautiful, Dora," he whispered. "And he's… healthy?"

Tonks understood the implied question and nodded. "The doctor checked him out and said he's perfectly fine." She gazed up at her husband lovingly. "What shall we name him?"

"Ted. After your father," Remus said immediately.

Tonks' eyes filled with tears at the memory of the recent death of her father, but she nodded in agreement. "It's perfect."

Remus pressed a kiss to her forehead and brushed away a tear that had spilled onto her cheek. "_He's_ perfect," he added. "I'm so sorry I ever doubted you."

"That's all in the past," Tonks said. "Now, I can't think of two people I'd rather spend the rest of my life with."


End file.
